Manugang, walang karapatan sa ari-arian ng mga biyenan?

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta - @Magtanong Kay Attorney | January 22, 2021

Dear Chief Acosta,

Namatay ang aking asawa noong 2015 dahil sa malubhang karamdaman samantalang ang kanyang mga magulang ay naaksidente at sabay na binawian ng buhay noong Agosto 2020. Wala kaming naging anak. Nais ko sanang itanong kung may karapatan ba ako sa mga naiwang ari-arian ng aking mga biyenan bilang representative ng yumaong asawa? – Charlene

Dear Charlene,

Para sa inyong kaalaman, nakasaad sa Article 970 at 971 ng Civil Code of the Philippines na:

“ART. 970. Representation is a right created by fiction of law, by virtue of which the representative is raised to the place and the degree of the person represented, and acquires the rights which latter would have if he were living or if he could have inherited.
ART. 971. The representative is called to the succession by the law and not by the person represented. The representative does not succeed the person represented but the one whom the person represented would have succeeded.”

Malinaw sa nasabing probisyon ng batas na ang right of representation ay ang karapatang nilikha ng batas na kung saan ang kamag-anak ay magiging kinatawan at maitataas sa posisyon at karapatan sa pagmamana ng una kung siya ay nabubuhay pa. Ito ay ipinaliwanag ng Kagalang-galang na Korte Suprema sa Intestate Estate of Petra V. Rosales vs. Fortunato Rosales (G.R. No. 40789, February 27, 1987, Ponente:), sa panulat ni Kagalang-galang na dating Kasamang Mahistrado Emilio A. Gancayco ang katangian ng representation. Ayon sa nasabing desisyon:

“The essence and nature of the right of representation is explained by Articles 970 and 971 of the Civil Code, viz:
Art. 970. Representation is a right created by fiction of law, by virtue of which the representative is raised to the place and the degree of the person represented, and acquires the rights which the latter would have if he were living or if he could have inherited. 
Art. 971. The representative is called to the succession by the law and not by the person represented. The representative does not succeed the person represented but the one whom the person represented would have succeeded. (Emphasis supplied.) 
Article 971 explicitly declares that Macikequerox Rosales is called to succession by law because of his blood relationship. He does not succeed his father, Carterio Rosales (the person represented) who predeceased his grandmother, Petra Rosales, but the latter whom his father would have succeeded. Petitioner cannot assert the same right of representation as she has no filiation by blood with her mother-in-law.
Petitioner however contends that at the time of the death of her husband Carterio Rosales he had an inchoate or contingent right to the properties of Petra Rosales as compulsory heir. Be that as it may, said right of her husband was extinguished by his death that is why it is their son Macikequerox Rosales who succeeded from Petra Rosales by right of representation. He did not succeed from his deceased father, Carterio Rosales.”

Sang-ayon sa desisyon ng Korte Suprema, ang maaaring magmana by right of representation ay ang blood relative lamang at ang widow o widower na tinutukoy ng batas ay ang asawa ng nagpapamana. Sa inyong sitwasyon, ang nagpapamana ay ang inyong mga biyenan at hindi ang inyong asawa.

Nakasaad din sa nasabing desisyon na, “the surviving spouse is considered a third person as regards the estate of the parent-in-law.” Samakatwid, kayo ay walang karapatang magmana sa mga pag-aari na iniwan ng inyong biyenan.

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang inyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na inyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng inyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa inyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.